Hiatt, Hammond winners at Post Falls Invite
Bonners Ferry Senior Erin Hiatt won the Post Falls Cross County Invite, completing the course two minutes before the second-place finisher and leading the Lady Badgers to a first-place overall finish.
For the Badger boys, sophomore Zach Hammond won the event as the teams continues to miss senior standout Dylan Sweeney, who is recuperating from an injury. The Badgers took second just behind Post Falls, but ahead of Lakeland and Kellogg.
The invitational was a little smaller than last year — no Lake City, Coeur d’Alene, or Priest River —and a little smaller than last week’s Bonners Ferry Invite, said coach Paul Bonnell.
The twists and turns of the Kiwanis Park course favored Hiatt’s strategy for the win, Bonnell said. Lady Badger Amy Elliott utilized her 400-meter running skills to kick to a top five finish. Lorena LaBarbera and Katy Hiatt made a solid pair, finishing sixth and seventh, while freshman newcomers Aimee Sayers and Hannah Jones and sophomore Katrina Svec rounded out the girls varsity.
Each girl ran a determined race, deliberately charging the hills and passing on the flats, said coach Paul Bonnell.
The Badger Boys varsity proved their toughness, coming back from a wrong turn to miss first by three places. Despite some early race contention from the Post Falls and Kootenai frontmen, Hammond broke away and into first.
Badger Micah Krmpotich placed a potent fourth, while newcomer Mitch Skjeveland surprised with a seventh finish, Bonnell said.
Senior Chris Wright, junior Reid Boorman and freshmen Tyson Boorman and Jared Lynse raced with aplomb, completing the boys varsity team.
In the junior varsity, senior Aimee McLeish stepped it up in her first race of the season, finishing second in the field of 21. In her debut race, Joy Hosterman proved her toughness, racing intelligently against competitors from Lakeland, et al, Bonnell said.
Martina Wright started her kick with 300 meters to go, finishing 15th.
In their first cross country races, Badger tracksters Nick Ege and David Sullivan paced each other and raced the field, earning themselves varsity slots for the next meet at Kellogg.
“They're starting to figure this out,” Bonnell said. “They are a key addition to the team.”
Freshman Alec Perkins had a strong showing, particularly coming off a foot injury last week. Junior Coe Watts ran a gutsy race, his first of the season.
“I'm thrilled by the top individual finishes as well as the team placement,” Bonnell said about the race. “We plan on continuing to work on racing strategies, and we look forward to having full varsity and JV teams as soon as a couple of the newer runners get their complete practices in and Sweeney gets healed up and back in the mix.”
“We're continuing to build our strength and camaraderie, and we'd still welcome anyone who is willing to give cross-country a try,” he added.
The cross country team will run at 4 p.m. today, Sept. 10, in the Kellog Invite and at 8:30 am. Saturday, Sept. 12, in the Silverwood Invite.
Post Falls Invite
VARSITY GIRLS — 1. Erin Hiatt 22:34; 4. Amy Elliott 25:14; 6. Lorena LaBarbera 26:02; 7. Katy Hiatt 26:04; 11. Aimee Sayers 27:11; 14. Hannah Kelso 27:30; 18. Katrina Svec 31:47.
TEAM SCORES — Bonners Ferry 20 Post Falls 35
VARSITY BOYS — 1. Zach Hammond 19:08; 4. Micah Krmpotich 19:55; 7. Mitch Skjeveland 20:06; 11. Chris Wright21:10; 14. Reid Boorman 21:54; 18. Tyson Boorman 22:17; 21. Jared Lynse-Ellis 22:50
TEAM SCORES — Post Falls 30 Bonners Ferry 33 Lakeland 70 Kellogg 92
JUNIOR VARSITY GIRLS — 2. Aimee McLeish 28:21; 11. Joy Hosterman 31:03; 15. Martina Wright 32:56
JUNIOR VARSITY BOYS — 2. Nick Ege 22:11; 3. David Sullivan 22:14; 13. Alec Perkins 24:17.